The CMPD Crime Lab is the forensic services division of the Police Department. The Crime Lab’s job is to scientifically test evidence that is collected as part of criminal investigations to determine what type of information can be gathered from the evidence. Evidence can be tested in a variety of different ways depending on the nature of the evidence and what we hope to learn from the testing.
The CMPD Crime Lab has five specialized sections that provide state-of-the-art forensic analytical services for this police department as well as municipal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in Mecklenburg county. Forensic analysis is conducted in the disciplines of serology/DNA, controlled substances, blood alcohol, fire debris, latent prints, firearms, toolmarks and questioned documents. The laboratory uses some of the latest database technology available to the forensic community such as CODIS, NIBIN, AFIS and IAFIS.
The CMPD Crime Lab is accredited to the internationally recognized ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard through the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). The laboratory was first accredited in 2002. The CMPD Crime Lab’s Biology (DNA) Section operates under the requirements of the FBI’s Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories.